Karonga residents query on oil exploration

Residents in Karonga plans to hold a demonstration against Malawian government in demanding the truth on the oil Exploration in the country responding to newspaper report which indicated that government is ignorant on the exploitation of Hamra oil Holdings activities in the northern religion.

Botolo: Not aware of Hamra Oil Holdings

According to the Weekend Nation newspaper, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining Ben Botolo said government is waiting for results from Surestream assessment on oil exploration as such it is not aware of Hamra Oil Holdings Company.

“What my office knows is that we are still waiting for results from an assessment which government commissioned Surestream to do, as such deposits on the lake as there is currently lack of legal frame work mandating the same in whose absence no firm can start exploration,” said Botolo.

This worries residents in Karonga through Karonga Business Community who have written a letter of protest to the District Commissioner as the Hamra oil company plans have already started flying in the district as one of its exploration exercise.

Wavisanga Silungwe said they are “suspicious” with the way Hamra Oil Holdings Company have started its activities on Lake Malawi territorial waters in Karonga.

Adding that “the Hamra Oil Holdings has told the community that it has already submitted Environmental Assessment reports to the government on how the exploration will be done but the principal secretary says they know Surestream, which is which?”

“Memories are still fresh as to how the former DPP Government goofed on Kayelekera, now bringing this again would really reflect very badly to the new administration and if we are to believe what Botolo said we are going to force Hamra Oil company to stop flying their planes in our space until all assessment as claimed by Botolo is finally commissioned by Surestream.”

According to the letter, Hamra Oil Holdings Company during their presentation to people in Karonga end of September indicated that government has given them blocks on Lake Malawi through ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“We are very worried that this new administration is prone to make the same grave historical mistakes on mining deals because Peter Chilumanga the deputy Director of Mines came with an Oil company from United Arab Emirates making presentation in front of all chiefs, councilors and different organizations narrating that the company has secured 51 percent of the shares on Lake Malawi seconded by Surestream and the same government is saying is not aware, are they taken us for grated or what,” said Silungwe.

The letter also indicated that government assured people that the new oil company activities will not bring dispute between Tanzania and Malawi.

“They also indicated that the Lake has been demarcated with the buffer zone between Tanzania and Malawi and that the company will only concentrate on the country side while the discussions on lake dispute between the two countries continue,” he said.

Commenting on the matter official of Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) Grain Mbewe concurred with Karonga Business Community saying “government should indeed tell the people the truth because this conduct abuses people’s rights as they are not involved and aware of what is happening in their own area.”

Adding that “as a human rights organization we are in support of that demonstration because it is not only affecting people in Karonga but the whole country we are losing trust in our own government.”

Chairperson of Natural Resource Justice Rink in Malawi Cossam Munthali said government is taken Malawians for granted.

“It is indeed a worrisome development that is happening in our country because during Hamra Presentation in Karonga, Government official from the mines came here and he assured us that everything is done according to government part and now the same government is denying, what are we going to believe?”

Meanwhile, Hamra Oil Holdings Company spokesperson denied commenting on whether government is or not aware of their company saying “you have to ask government to come clearly if they know us or not, to us we did the right thing and followed right procedure.”

The govt should be honest and transparent rather than giving the people of kAronga and Malawi conflicting messages on the oil situation. This is dishonesty if the govt is perceived as hiding something, the people of kAronga and indeed Malawi will Not accept this anymore. We have seen how uranium revenues have been used to enrich some South politicians and develop their areas while neglecting the rest of Malawi, especially the North and Karonga itself.

The oil will be for the benefit of Malawi but the kAronga people should also benefit locally from the oil assuming all is well.

Sending confusing messages to the people of Malawi or kAronga about the oil only convinces the masses that the southerners are at it again, stealing oil or minerals revenues.

But most of all handle KAronga carefully and with sensitivity. Be a responsible govt!!!

So it means that the government sold half of our lake to Tanzania? And where is the person who said the issue of lake Malawi is non-negotiable? And what we are hearing now is the total opposite of what he said (I mean this thug peter). Those who are saying that the call for federation has died a natural death are just fooling themselves because tomorrow the regional committee is meeting in Mzuzu so its better to remain silent before you expose your naivety.

My fellow Malawians, please lets not let anyone drill oil from our beautiful lake Malawi. Letting anybody drill on the lake will be suicidal for the entire country, and the ones who will make the money would be long gone.
Look the Nigeria Delta, and so many places that have been ruined for good. Most of us leave on the lake and enjoy fishing, bathing, swimming, drinking and play on Lake Malawi. These oil companies are not from Malawi. Do you really think they will be there when the lake is f**ked!
I for one, will not let this happen and I am therefore ready to die defending my beautiful lake and country from these polluters. This would be a national tragedy and would hope all the able people will join me and the rest in saying “NO , TO DRILLING. MALAWI IS NOT FOR SALE”. We will die for it.

This is an issue that involves Malawi, not just Karonga. Similarly, Kayerekera shortfalls impinge on Malawi. Our economy should’ve gained for the benefit of the whole country.
Let govt tell Malawians what’s up. We’ve a right to know.

Mbava to the “word” in full action pa Malawi!! Nde kumpoto anakutolaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! Oilgate ili mkati bambooooooooooooo!! Advisor and strategist is the chief thief, “Chair” no wonder he is now too close to the leadership!! Cry my beloved country!!

Anthu a kumpoto you may wanna start thinking about being part of Tanzania at this point. After all Peter himself said it kuti Munthu waku north sadzawinapo u president. Anagwidwatu akunena ndi ven phiri sizonamaso. Nde ndili ine nthakhala wa north I would start ma negotiations with TZ.

Ras A Hamra are an oil/energy engineering consulting firm, they are not an oil explorer firm, Thy are normally engaged by oil exploring firms to carry out engineering studies. I suppose some oil firm has engaged them to carry out some engineering feasibility in the Karonga area. Just as Mota Engil are building a railline for Vale between Mkaya and Mozambique, Mota Engil are not the owners. Similarly, there is a cheque book operator who has engaged RAH.

Dont waste time Kyungu has allowed this company to do anything in Karonga coz Ben Chiza Mkandawire gave him and chief Kalonga huge sums of money. So if you see Ben there, just know this is his mission. On the list he has included Mwenefumbo who is about to drop PP and join peter.

Govt should not take the karonga people for granted. Enough is enough! There is no way getting resources away and leaving the district poor like that. Let all karonga and malawian people fight to the last drop of our blood. Ndibwino timenyedwee ngati sitingamenye koma ndewu ndiye ikhalepo. How can a whole PS wondering the presence of HAMRA while they are insisting that we should ask the govt? There is no smoke without fire. Tukwere waka ku Mbande sibadwe apa tupologhatu. Twakatala

These politicians must not take our people as fools, Botolo is aware of what is happening there. These business deals be benefits them not the community, i fully support our brothers in Karonga to have these demonstrations otherwise we will have no idea what is happening.

Wow, this is a very good development. We need oil and that’s a fact – to delay this activity because some communities want the government to go down on its knees to beg them, is insane. We need to use our resources to develop our country and develop it fast.

These people are just noisy with an objective of milking the interested parties.Recently all of them have been talking of federation and it has died natural death.most of these people are crooked .Their grand pa Chikufwa did teach them how to benefit from threats.He could make northerners dance to tune and they realised too late that they were being cheated by someone who was being paid on their expense/exploitation.

I understand that Tanzania side have already started drilling and there is no news of citizens behaving like that?Have been sent by someone from that side to block us so that most of oil is sucked by them before we starts. Please let the government check the objective of these people.They are not even leaders .

great work by my fellow people from karonga ,lets not allow these thugs to steal our oil from the lake, large deposits of oil are in the north, never allow these bandits to spoil our lake, why dont they take thatto the southern part of the lake, coz they know there is no oil that side!!!! with oil drilling we will indeed have to fight if they setal oil and buil in their president villages

The Land belongs to the government ,know it from now,TAIFAS.You waste your time.The government will not waste any resource on you .If you do not want and you can not understand our constitution ,leave our country.

KARONGA KARONGA.working like TAIFAs, crooking their own citizens.Palibe fundo apa.Same people wanted to demonstrate about federation, today they are on oil exploration .Did you know that most of these people are Tanzanians? That is the reasons they hate Chewas.It is not only Karonga which has the shore of Lake Malawi.There is khata Bay.Rumphi ,Khotakota.